表明 biǎomíng — to make clear, to indicate, to show (a fact or position)
biǎomíng (third tone, dipping)biao3ming2
to make clear, to indicate, to show (a fact or position)
HSK 5· HSK 1–6 (classic)Level 3· 2021 three-band, nine-level proficiency standardverb
Meanings
to make clear, to indicate, to show (a fact or position)
Its subject is usually evidence rather than a person: 数字表明… — "the figures show that…". When the subject *is* a person, what they make clear is a position, never a feeling: 表明态度, not 表明高兴.
verb
Character breakdown
Example sentences
- 这些数字表明情况正在好转。這些數字表明情況正在好轉。Zhèxiē (fourth tone, falling) shùzì (fourth tone, falling) biǎomíng (third tone, dipping) qíngkuàng (second tone, rising) zhèngzài (fourth tone, falling) hǎozhuǎn. (third tone, dipping)···
These figures show that the situation is improving.
- 他已经表明了自己的态度。他已經表明了自己的態度。Tā (first tone, high and level) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) biǎomíng (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) tàidù. (fourth tone, falling)···
He has already made his position clear.
Common mistakes
Not quite我想表明我的感谢。
Correct我想表达我的感谢。
表明 makes a fact or a stance plain; 表达 puts an inward feeling into words. Thanks is a feeling, so it takes 表达 — the two differ by what is being shown, not by how clearly.
Similar words
Words containing 明
- 明天míngtiān (second tone, rising)tomorrow
- 明白míngbai (second tone, rising)to understand, to see (what is meant)
- 明显明顯míng (second tone, rising) xiǎn (third tone, dipping)clear
- 证明證明zhèng (fourth tone, falling) míng (second tone, rising)proof
- 说明說明shuō (first tone, high and level) míng (second tone, rising)to explain
- 明星míng (second tone, rising) xīng (first tone, high and level)star
- 聪明聰明cōngming (first tone, high and level)clever, bright, intelligent
- 明确明確míng (second tone, rising) què (fourth tone, falling)clear-cut
- 明年míng (second tone, rising) nián (second tone, rising)next year
- 声明聲明shēng (first tone, high and level) míng (second tone, rising)statement
- 文明wén (second tone, rising) míng (second tone, rising)civilized
- 发明發明fā (first tone, high and level) míng (second tone, rising)to invent
- 明明míng (second tone, rising) míng (second tone, rising)obviously
- 光明guāng (first tone, high and level) míng (second tone, rising)light
- 透明tòu (fourth tone, falling) míng (second tone, rising)transparent
- 明智míng (second tone, rising) zhì (fourth tone, falling)sensible
- 查明chá (second tone, rising) míng (second tone, rising)to investigate and find out